Formula 1 Japanese GP
Hamilton explains why Ferrari's F1 form has been inconsistent
Lewis Hamilton has analysed his first two race weekends for Ferrari, in which a sprint win in China punctuated two more difficult grands prix
Filip Cleeren
Edited: Apr 3, 2025, 6:54 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
Lewis Hamilton says having to gain a deeper understanding of Ferrari's car set-ups is the main factor behind his up-and-down form as he starts his stint with the Italian Formula 1 powerhouse.
Hamilton and Leclerc both struggled for pace in Australia's Q3 shoot-out despite looking strong earlier on, and the pair also had a mixed weekend in China where Hamilton won the sprint from pole but was off the pace during the grand prix.
Ultimately both drivers were disqualified for technical infractions in Shanghai, losing fifth and sixth, adding to Ferrari's muted start to the season as the Scuderia has yet to extract the SF-25's inherent speed in a reliable fashion.
Read Also:
When asked why the team's early 2025 form has been so up and down, Hamilton replied: "It's a combination of probably several different things, but I think mostly just pinning the set-up.
"I told you that I'm still learning about this car, so I still haven't tested every item that they have yet. Ultimately, I made the wrong decision on set-up for the Saturday going into qualifying at the last race, which then I just had to live with for the race.
"If we had just left the car probably alone or actually [if] the step that we did take [had been] an improvement, I think we could have qualified in the top three, which would then have had a much different result, most likely.
"But that wasn't the case, and it was really difficult to drive from the moment we went out in qualifying and then it was the same balance on a Sunday, so we just had to persevere with it."
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photo by: Clive Mason/Getty Images
Hamilton says he is pleased with how he has adapted from Mercedes' lineage of cars to the vastly different Ferrari, having been on the back foot because he hadn't been able to simulate a dry-weather race run before the China weekend, nor had he sampled Pirelli's harder C2 tyre compound that proved pivotal to pulling off a one-stop race.
"I think that outside of that garage most people completely underestimate what we actually do," the seven-time world champion explained.
"When we're talking about set-up and changes that we're making, all the different graphs that you're looking at for aero, through-corner balance, mechanical balance, roll balance, all these different things that we're trying to play with and finesse through a weekend.
"After analysing the last two races, the first race I generally didn't feel great in the car at the beginning, but our pace wasn't too bad on the first two days; Sunday was the first time I'd ever driven the car in the rain, and I was learning a lot throughout the race.
"Then in the last race, that was the first time I'd actually done a long run. Every other driver here pretty much got to do the Abu Dhabi test and try the 2025 tyre. I didn't. And we went into the race run in Bahrain [testing] and the car broke down. The sprint race was the first time I'd actually done a 20-lap stint and then in the race it was the first time I'd ever tried the C2, so I was just learning that through a race.
"I was definitely starting to feel the onwards effect of not being able to do the test at the end of the year, and so on reflection I'm quite happy of how I've adapted in just those two races. But I've definitely got a lot of work to do to make sure that it's better moving forward."
Additional reporting by Jake Boxall-Legge
Photos from Japanese GP - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Thursday
Formula 1
69
Read Also:
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Pierre Gasly backs Yuki Tsunoda for Red Bull success: "He's got the speed"
Next article Sergio Perez offers support to Tsunoda after shock Liam Lawson demotion
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Filip Cleeren
Winners and losers from F1's record-breaking Mexico Grand Prix
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
11 h
Winners and losers from F1's record-breaking Mexico Grand Prix
Emotional Kimi Antonelli left "speechless" by maiden F1 world title in Mexico
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
12 h
Emotional Kimi Antonelli left "speechless" by maiden F1 world title in Mexico
More from
Lewis Hamilton
Fred Vasseur reacts to Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc clash: “It’s a matter of respect”
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
10 h
Fred Vasseur reacts to Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc clash: “It’s a matter of respect”
More from
Ferrari
Who slept worst last night: Frederic Vasseur
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
5 h
Who slept worst last night: Frederic Vasseur
Why Charles Leclerc didn’t yield Mexico GP lead after cutting Turn 5
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
11 h
Why Charles Leclerc didn’t yield Mexico GP lead after cutting Turn 5
Latest news
Kimi Antonelli reveals why he won’t take number 1 for the 2027 F1 season
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
14 min
Kimi Antonelli reveals why he won’t take number 1 for the 2027 F1 season
Who slept best last night: Kimi Antonelli
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
1 h
Who slept best last night: Kimi Antonelli
FIA reveals revised Junior WRC for 2027
WRC
WRC WRC 1 h
FIA reveals revised Junior WRC for 2027
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe